Millions of people start businesses every year. Few survive, and fewer still actually achieve a significant level of success. Why are so many seemingly intelligent, hard working people failing to create the successful businesses of their dreams?

Could it be they have bad business karma?

To answer this question you have to understand karma on a deeper level. We hear the word karma every day but few truly understand what it is or how it is working in your life on a daily basis. Most believe it is tied to reciprocity and the concept that we reap what we sow. Although this is true, it is just the tip of the iceberg to truly understanding karma.

In my new book Karma Buster I offer a new definition:

Your karma is the blueprint for the emotional work you experience in this lifetime.

What does this mean to you and how is it affecting your business? It is all tied to the experience you are here to have on earth. I myself had very bad business and financial karma. I lost my father at age 12 and went through two business bankruptcies by the time I was 30.

I was working hard, setting goals, reading books, going to seminars and spouting affirmations. Others I knew who weren’t working as hard, or practicing all of these so-called success principles, were very successful…why?

This sent me on a mission to discover what I was missing. There had to be something beyond the obvious that I was not seeing. As I continued to search it became clear to me: This was way beyond hard work and intelligence. There was an invisible force at work here.

The invisible force is energy and it is tied to your karma and beliefs, and it is based on your unique emotional experience. Some people seem to attract success and opportunities with little or no effort. Others struggle to move an inch forward and experience great heartache and failure. These experiences are based on your unique journey.

I now realize that I had to experience failure and struggle to complete my mission, while others may have struggles in other areas of their lives - and this is our karma. But the big question is: How does this help you move through your blocks and clear your negative business karma?

The keys to moving forward are simple yet difficult to execute as human beings. We must move away from our over thinking minds and see the world differently.

Key #1: Accepting Your Situation

Most people complain, become self-critical or blame others when things are not working as they would have hoped. You must accept that you are exactly where you want to be right now.

Key #2: See Your Patterns

Your karma is tied to your patterns of behavior. Identify your patterns in sequential order. For example, “I always attract what seems to be a good client and then have trouble getting paid.” Look at what you have been attracting in all areas of your life and ask this powerful question: Am I attracting people and opportunities to support my mission?

Be honest here. This will help you see what you are currently creating.

Key #3: Take Opposite Action

You will begin to break your negative karma and create new energy when you start taking opposite action. There are two pieces to this process. First you do the opposite of what you would usually do. Maybe you are always overextending yourself because you are a good person and want to help. The problem is you are doing this at your own expense. Now you have to start saying no.

The second part of this process is dealing with your feelings of guilt when you do not overextend yourself. As you start to put yourself first, your energy begins to shift, and you start creating new, more positive patterns.

As you would expect, this takes time. You are creating an entirely new way of operating. Enjoy the process as you become a Karma Buster and create the business of your dreams.